In the heart of Pardubice, a remarkable engineering feat is taking shape. Construction workers have just installed the final cable components for what will become the Czech Republic’s longest suspension bridge—a 257-meter marvel spanning the Labe River and its blind tributary. The bridge represents the crowning achievement of the northeastern bypass that will open to drivers by the end of this year.
The structure’s impressive dimensions are matched only by its durability. “The bridge has a planned lifespan of 100 years,” explains Petr Vítek, bridge expert from Hochtief CZ. “The cables, which are being used for the first time in the Czech Republic, have extraordinary corrosion resistance.” This innovative approach replaces the older method of injecting steel cables with cement inside tubes, which offered significantly less longevity.
The scale of the project is staggering. If laid end-to-end, the cables would stretch approximately 200 kilometers—roughly the distance from Prague to Brno. These vital components are housed in seven tubes, each containing between 150 and 169 individual cables. Currently, a team of six men works 60 meters above ground at the pylon’s peak, ensuring the cables that run from the bridge deck up to the pylon and back down are properly positioned.
Construction hasn’t been without challenges. Workers recently overcame an unexpected hazardous waste dump, the removal of which cost 100 million crowns, paid for by the Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD) as the investor of the bypass. With this obstacle cleared, nine bridge structures remain to be completed before the 4.2-kilometer bypass, costing 1.44 billion crowns excluding VAT, can open to traffic.
Another significant hurdle involved land acquisition. The ŘSD eventually secured all necessary properties except those belonging to the family of former Pardubice hockey player Stanislav Procházka. “We couldn’t reach an agreement,” admits ŘSD Director General Radek Mátl, explaining that the family’s financial demands were unrealistic and would have violated regulations. The matter now awaits a decision on expropriation while construction proceeds based on the ŘSD’s majority ownership rights.